Lived experience of public school teachers as guidance designates

https://doi.org/10.70228/PFREE2024022CAS

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ABSTRACT

This study explored the lived experience of ten public school teachers in the province of Negros Occidental, aged 26 to 60, who have served as guidance designates for at least three years. The study employed a qualitative research approach by Creswell and Poth 2018 to investigate the lived experiences of public school teachers serving as guidance designates and Lincoln and Guba's Trustworthiness criteria to analyze the data. The findings revealed three main themes: Systemic Limitations include the lack of comprehensive guidance programs, unclear job roles, misidentification of guidance designates as disciplinary authorities, inadequate training, and budgetary issues, all of which hinder effective guidance services and cause frustration among the guidance designates. Workplace Constraints, such as work overload and insufficient support, further exacerbate these challenges, leading to stress as teachers struggle to balance their dual roles. Despite these adversities, Personal Capital, including the fulfillment of helping students, creativity in resource management, and aspirations for better resources and recognition, helps guidance designates persevere. The study concludes by recommending clear guidance programs, comprehensive job descriptions, dedicated funding, and prioritized training to improve school guidance services and benefit the broader educational community.

Keywords: lived experience, public school, teachers, guidance designate